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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29177217">The Talk 2.0</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Startanewdream/pseuds/Startanewdream'>Startanewdream</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Eyes Glistening (Jily Lives AU) [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon, Family Feels, Gen, Good Parent Lily Evans Potter, James Potter &amp; Lily Evans Potter Live, James Potter is a good parent, Potter Family-centric (Harry Potter), The Talk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:42:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,827</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29177217</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Startanewdream/pseuds/Startanewdream</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After being caught with his girlfriend in an embarrassing position, Harry faces the talk... again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter &amp; Potter Family, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Eyes Glistening (Jily Lives AU) [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116542</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>127</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Talk 2.0</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Based on a Tumblr Prompt by NotthatChhavi "where James and Lily live and James gives Harry the sex talk".</p><p>Rated T because nothing is explicit, but it's a <i>sex talk</i>, so read at your own risk. It's all silly and awkward below.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>‘Do we <em>really </em>need to do this?’, James asks, for the third time, as he and Lily are going up the stairs.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Lily sighs.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘We talked about it, James. Yes, we need’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I’ve talked to him before, Lily. Harry knows about - well - you know what he knows about'.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She raises her eyebrows.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘The fact that you can’t say “sex” in the same sentence as your son’s name isn’t really giving me confidence’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He flushes, mumbling to himself, his arms crossed as Lily knocks on Harry’s room.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Neither did you’, he grumbles at least.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘What?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘You didn’t say “Harry” and you-know-what in the same sentence either’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Oh, hi’, Harry says weakly, refusing to look in their direction. 'I was just about to sleep now -'</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘We need to talk, Harry’, Lily says, and James admires how her voice doesn’t show any of the anxiety he knows she feels too.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As much adamant as Lily is of having The Talk 2.0, neither of them is thrilled by having to do that.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Harry’s hand goes automatically to his hair, messing it without even realizing what he is doing, and James recognizes his own quirk there.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Everything is fine, Harry’, he says soothingly. ‘Why don’t we just go downstairs for a nice chat?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Harry sighs deeply, looking like he would very much face Voldemort again than talking with his parents right now, but he nods.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They go to the living room, and Harry sinks on the armchair, leaving James and Lily to sit right on the couch right in front of him. James winces; all this feels too much like a lecture and he can’t fault Harry for looking at his knees with a half-guilty half-annoyed expression on his face.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I am sorry, ok?’, he says suddenly. ‘I - I forgot to lock the door and… it <em>won’t</em> happen again’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Which part?’, James asks before he can stop himself. ‘You and Ginny snogging in your bedroom or Lily catching you?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They both look at James without smiling, but he will defend the whole situation is a little bit funny.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Of course, he would feel different if he had been the one to arrive in his house in the middle of the afternoon and heard a cry coming from his son’s bedroom and had opened to find… whatever Lily had found.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She hadn’t given him full details other than saying it involved some stage of undressing and James hadn’t asked, but he knew it had been awkward enough that Ginny had not stayed for dinner and, as far as he knew, few things would really embarrass his favourite future daughter-in-law. Or probably Ginny knew the dinner would be equally uncomfortable. If that was the case, she had been smart; neither Harry nor Lily had said one word to another all night, refusing to meet each other’s eyes, both in a mix of embarrassment and anger.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Then, after dinner, Lily had summoned James to have The Talk 2.0 with Harry, despite James’ insistence that he had already talked to Harry five years ago.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Five years ago he didn’t have a girlfriend’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I am pretty sure things are still the same, Lily’, he had argued, but Lily ignored him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Harry’, Lily begins, with as much dignity as she can muster. 'This is not just about what happened early'.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘You scold me in front of her’, Harry accuses, crossing his arms. ‘Then you made her leave like… Like if we were doing something <em>wrong</em>’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Lily closes her face.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I didn't want Ginny to leave, of course not, but… I won’t be the bad guy, here, Harry. You were the one who was - who <em>brought </em>your girlfriend in the middle of the afternoon without telling us first’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I told you she was coming by’, he mumbles.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘For dinner. That usually means late in the day, you know’. She gives him a knowing look. ‘Did <em>Molly </em>know she was here with you?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>This makes Harry narrow his eyes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Is that a threat?’, he asks, even more annoyed, and James sees it’s time to intervene.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘No one is threatening anything and, no, we won’t mention it to anyone’, he says, placing his hand around Lily’s shoulder to calm her too. It’s really unusual for her and Harry to argue, but their fights are the worst if he doesn’t interrupt them before their emotions are too high. ‘We just need to set some - ah - coexistence rules’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘And before that’, Lily continues, seeming more in control. ‘We need to talk to you about some important things. And, yes, it’s a sex talk’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Harry grimaces.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I - Dad already talked to me, you don’t really -’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘No?’, challenges Lily, raising her eyebrows and James suddenly wishes to warn Harry of the danger there. ‘Do you really think you know <em>everything</em>?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I get the biology part and - well - if you must know - Ron got me a book -’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘“Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches”?’, Lily scoffs. ‘That book doesn’t cover anything’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘You know that book?’, James asks, surprised, and Harry looks at him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Do <em>you </em>know that book?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James rolls his eyes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘My old dad got me and Sirius one when we were fifteen’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘The fact that you still took two more years to finally date me should show you the quality of the book’, Lily teases, looking amused. 'Besides, that book is really outdated’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘It seemed complete’, Harry murmurs, but he looks uneasy as if he is worried about what content the book is lacking.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Well, the book didn’t tell you to cast a simple Silencing Charm on the door, did it?’, Lily points out, making Harry blush. ‘So, yes, we will talk’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Harry grumbles, but he nods. There is a moment of silence, and James sees Lily debating with herself how she will start. She takes a deep breath.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘It is normal that you and Ginny want to take your relationship to the next step, but I just want you to think if you are ready - oh, don’t give me that look’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘You are talking like if we were kids’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I meant that you’ve been dating for only two months and it’s your first serious relationship’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘We started dating more than one year ago actually’, Harry corrects, with a shadow of a smile on his lips.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I thought you broke up with her for her own safety?’, Lily counters, narrowing her eyes, and that wipes out any amusement on Harry’s face. ‘Any more sassy comments?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James thinks it’s rather ironic that Lily is criticizing Harry for saying anything sassy, but he is not stupid enough to note this.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘What your mother means -’, he says instead ‘- is that you shouldn’t rush into things. Did you two talk about it?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘No’, Harry admits. ‘We weren’t really… we were just… Look, <em>we weren’t going to have sex today</em>, ok? Can’t you just drop it?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>His face is all red and Harry looks really upset, though James can't say if it's for saying that out loud or because of <em>what </em>he said.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Well, you two might someday’, Lily says gently, all her motherly instincts emerging at the sight of Harry’s distress. ‘And when that happens, we want you two to be careful and to know what you are doing’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘<em>Nobody </em>knows what they are doing the first time, Lily’, James murmurs and they exchange a fond look that makes them both smile softly, thinking of questions whispered in the middle of the night and nervousness and that happy feeling of finally...</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Well, keep looking at each other like that and it’s the best way to keep my mind out of it’, Harry grumbles, looking purposely at the ceiling.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James chuckles.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘We don’t want to talk you out of it - mostly because it won’t work. We really just want you two to be safe - you know, your mom and I are way too young to be grandparents’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The red in Harry’s face increases.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Do you know contraceptive charms and potions?’, Lily asks, all business again. ‘Or even better, use the muggle way - it prevents a lot of diseases too, you can never be too safe…’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Harry mumbles something under his breath.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘What was that?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I have bought condoms’, he says in the lowest voice he can manage.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Lily and James carefully avoid making eye contact.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘And you know how to use them?’, James asks, a bit afraid of Harry’s answer.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Yeah, you don’t need to - let’s not do that banana thing, ok? I saw Mr. Weasley talking to Ron… and it was weird enough’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>There is another moment of silence.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Fine’, James says lightly. ‘Then let’s talk about those charms too, right? It’s always good to be prepared for all occasions…’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <hr/>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It’s well past midnight when James knocks on Harry’s door. After a few seconds, Harry opens it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘May I enter?’, James asks, all formal, since they agreed on a few rules minutes ago.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Asking permission before entering Harry’s room. If Ginny is in his room, the door will be open slightly at least when his parents are home. Letting them know before-hand if Ginny will be visiting (they won’t ever forbid it). She can spend the night but in another room until she is out of age. No using the Invisibility Cloak to visit her at night.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>That last one James seriously doubted it when Lily and Harry agreed to it, but he didn’t say anything.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He would not betray Lily’s secrets for Harry and he would not deny his son the better use for that Cloak.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Sure’, Harry says, giving him space. James sits on the edge of Harry’s bed, while Harry lays lazily against the pillows of his bed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>His son seems more at ease now the safe sex talk has ended. James supposes there are few subjects that could be more awkward. It almost makes James miss talking about Horcruxes and pieces of Voldemort’s soul.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Here’, James shows him a key.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘What is that?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘There is a cabin in the woods if you follow the trail leaving our backdoor, just a ten-minute walk. It’s where we used to turn with Remus in the Full Moon’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘And why are you giving it to me?’, Harry asks, bewildered. His parents always forbade him of going alone in the woods and that was one of the few rules Harry had actually followed all his life.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Well, obviously we aren’t using anymore, and it’s a nice cozy place. All equipped, with fireplace and a small living room, bathroom and -’, James takes a deep breath. ‘- there is a double bed too’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘<em>Oh</em>’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I am not naive, Harry, and I remember what it was like being seventeen - well, all your mom and I wanted with that talk was make sure you two are safe. Not to disturb you or anything - and trust me, it was far more awkward for us than it was for you’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He laughs.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I truly doubt it’, Harry says, and for a moment they share an equally embarrassed look before Harry tentatively grabs the key. ‘So… I am just free to use it?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James sighs. ‘I trust you not to rush things, Harry. And I thought… we don’t want to catch you in an awkward position - <em>not again </em>- and… you two deserve some time alone without worrying if anyone is going to interrupt you. So… whenever you two are ready, it will be there’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Oh’, Harry is blushing, his face radiating heat. ‘Thanks, dad’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘It was your mother’s idea, actually’, James says, grinning when Harry looks surprised. ‘She was just concerned for you, Harry, not really mad. And… besides everything we talked before, which <em>is </em>important and you should keep in mind for your and Ginny’s safety… remember to be patient, ok?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Harry blinks, confused, and James sighs heavily. <em>That’s your job</em>, he says to himself. <em>You remember how things were far from perfect in the beginning.</em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Just… be gentle. Always care more about her than about yourself - and always asks if she is comfortable. If she says no, or if she regrets starting it, no matter what are you doing, you <em>stop</em>’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James expects Harry to argue with him at the obviousness of what he is saying, but surprisingly, Harry just nods, seeming to be concentrating on recording James’ words.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘And then, if you are both ok with it… You two take your time. It’s normal to not know what you are doing at first, but you will only learn if you <em>talk </em>to each other and <em>listen </em>to each other, okay? This is actually very important’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘What if -’, Harry hesitates, before looking at his own hand. ‘- and what if I am <em>not good?</em> What if I mess it up so much that she never -’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Harry’, James interrupts him softly. ‘As I said, no one knows what they are doing. So… you discover together. You are in love with her, right?'</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>His face reddens, but to Harry’s credit, he doesn't deny his feelings.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>'Yes', he admits in a whisper, sounding more fascinated by it than flustered.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James smiles.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>'Then you let that feeling turn into something good for both of you'.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘It's because of what I feel that - I am <em>afraid,</em> I mean...  Can I - can I make it <em>good? </em>For her?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James sighs.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Yeah, actually… I suppose there are things you could know that would help… But let’s say it very objectively, ok? You do know I almost think of Ginny as my daughter, right?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>That makes Harry let out an unexpected laugh.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I hope not too much’, he says, playfully. ‘Because I really don’t have brotherly feelings for her'.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James rolls his eyes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Yeah, I got that covered. Well, I think we already had this conversation once, but I’m sure you were too busy when you were thirteen to think this would ever be important. So, a woman’s body -’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <hr/>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James feels tired and much older when he finally enters his and Lily’s room.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘You took long enough’, Lily says teasingly, and James sees she is in a far better mood than a couple of hours before, lying lazily in the bed, already under the blanket.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘It is your fault. “The Talk 2.0”, you said, it will be fun’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She smirks, turning to him as James lies down heavily on the bed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I never said it would be fun, just that we needed to do it. I know you have all these white hairs already, and I don’t deny it would be cute, but I really don’t want any grandchildren yet. You know, I just want -’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘That Harry gets to finally enjoy his life’, James acknowledges. ‘Yeah, I know. Me too’. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She sighs happily, getting closer to him, and James sees her naked collarbone when she places her hand over his chest, casually opening the buttons of his shirt.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Hummmm.</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Now - I know it’s late - but I kept thinking of a summer night twenty years ago…’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I try to forget that night’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Really?’, challenges Lily, looking at him, and James has a deja-vu of that same night.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They had been dating for a while, and while he had been untroubled and quite satisfied with everything they had done together on empty classrooms, he had felt guilty of taking a step further with Lily despite the fact that his body kept making it perfectly clear how much he wanted her and Lily kept giving all signs that she wanted more too. His trouble conscience had been solved when Lily had appeared on his bed in the Boy’s Dorm Room on a summer night, hidden under his Invisibility Cloak.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She hadn’t been wearing anything under the Cloak.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘So, Potter? Do you want your Cloak back?’, she had whispered to him, in a trembling voice that mixed braveness and challenge and that time his guilt had paled in comparison with everything else he felt for her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He smiles at the memory.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Well, I just like to think I improved a lot since then, you know’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘You did’, she agrees playfully. ‘But I remember fondly of that night - it was the first time you said you loved me’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>‘Of course </em>I was in love with you’, James notes as if it's obvious. ‘Why do you think I let you take away all my innocence?'</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘You were never innocent’, Lily disagrees, her eyes sparkling with mischief.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Oh, I was. So <em>pure.</em> But there was this redhead girl that totally bewitched me’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Redhead girl? Seems to run in the family’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘What can I say? We Potters have one weakness’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Hmmm’, she sighs, letting her hand slide over his chest and then down. There is a satisfied smile on her lips. ‘It doesn’t seem much weak right now’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>James grins, pulling Lily so she gets above him. The blanket falls and, just like on that summer night, she is not wearing anything under.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘As I said, bewitched’, he agrees, trying to kiss her, but Lily laughs and stops him to take her wand in the nightstand.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Let’s set the example, shall we?’, she points her wand to the door. ‘<em>Silencio!’</em></p>
</div>
  </div></div>
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